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Economic Times
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Economic Times
Celebrations of youthful wisdom
Last week we attended the 80th birthday celebrations of a gentleman whom I regard as my lifestyle guru and invariably refer to as the "Calcutta Connoisseur". The invitation card, however, invited us for his "18th" birthday. It was an ode to his evergreen spirt and indefatigable zest for life-and living it well. Not for him the cold comfort of age-related relaxation and abdication of joy but rather, a recalibration of his mode of the news of a champagne brand just launched by an Indian elicited the same piercing questions last week that he used to throw at me decades ago to see if I knew "my onions". And with his trademark impish grin he challenged me to guess who the chef was for his birthday-eve dinner at home just by tasting the canapes. Which shishya would not be intimidated by a guru's impromptu test? A familiar face at dinner indicated I had guessed right; if only I had the gumption to say so! A few days later at another megapolis at the other end of India, I had the pleasure of meeting a lady who is nearly a decade older than that "18 year old" and whose mobility is somewhat restricted by age-related wear and tear, but whose mind and wit is razor sharp and as agile as the Calcutta Connoisseur's. My schoolfriend's mother in law is truly a grande dame of a "Bombay" that now only survives in secluded pockets amid the raucous political and financial din of Mumbai. In the course of a delightful conversation over nimboo-pani that continued over a light lunch in the spacious family flat overlooking the Cricket Club of India, I was transported to Karachi of the 1940s and the final move of her prosperous Kutchi Hindu clan to the city where they used to come during the holidays-Bombay- which became their new home and sanctuary. Among the precious mementos they brought from Karachi were, intriguingly, a grandfather clock and a carved wooden elephant. Her fond reminiscences about life in Karachi were interspersed with searching questions about today's India, including changing perceptions of the heroes of the freedom struggle and the early decades of Independence. She was also amazed and amused by the divergent paths of two "siblings" separated in 1947- no bitterness, just a deep interest. If only younger Indians - a billion of our current 1.4 billion people were born after Partition after all-had the same equanimity! In many ways this elegant and articulate Bombay matriarch reminded me of my 101-year-old uncle in Kolkata whose curiosity about the world around him - from politics and world affairs to culture, sport and personalities - increases with every parikrama of the Sun. Even this time in Kolkata he couldn't wait to discuss the Trump-Musk fallout and why the US seems to be once again backing Pakistan after Operation Sindoor. Their happy engagement with the present complimented by their experience of the past reminded me of an observation by a younger friend of the Calcutta Connoisseur while wishing him on his "18th" birthday. Expanding on the well known aphorism "We don't stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing," he remarked that teen years are the best companions for wisdom as youth is wasted on the young, and wisdom is wasted on the old. Here's wishing more people will be also blessed with both simultaneously.
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
‘1BHK here is 1 lakh per month': Netizens troll ‘SoBo' as luxury sinks in Mumbai rains
As Mumbai 'sinked' under heavy rainfall on Monday following the early onset of the southwest monsoon, netizens flooded social media with videos of submerged roads, swamped markets, and waterlogged vehicles — especially from posh 'SoBo' or South Bombay. Some even posted clips of gaping potholes that had appeared across the city's streets. '1 BHK rent is 1 lakh/ month here, welcome to SoBo!' wrote one user on X, alongside a video showing rainwater gushing across roads in South Mumbai, with vehicles wading through the deluge. In another clip, a man was seen floating on what appeared to be a makeshift raft amid stranded vehicles. The caption read: 'Mumbaikars office jathe hue' (Mumbaikars while going to office). Another user shared visuals of waterlogged Mumbai streets, where taxis crawled through submerged roads, highlighting the daily struggle of commuters. Taking a dig at the government, he wrote, '4th Largest Economy but water logging, pathetic roads and BMC issues alerts to stay safe home after everyone has left already for office. What's the point of GDP? What's the point of taxes?' A separate video captured the Brabourne Stadium and the Cricket Club of India (CCI) completely waterlogged after the downpour that began late Sunday. More clips showed knee-deep water in areas like Dadar and Colaba. One video featured a submerged bank, while another showed cars stuck in flooded streets. 'Waterlogging in South Mumbai, specifically in areas such as Bhendi Bazar, Mohammad Ali Road, and near JJ Signal. The water has not yet receded,' the user wrote in a tweet shared in the morning. Several users posted more visuals from across SoBo, capturing the relentless rain and the city's struggle to stay afloat. Operations on Mumbai's Metro Line 3 between Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli were suspended on Monday after heavy rainfall led to waterlogging at an underground station, officials said. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) halted services after floodwater entered the newly constructed Acharya Atre Chowk underground station. Viral videos on social media showed extensive flooding inside the station — from platforms and ticket counters to staircases and circulation zones. One clip showed rainwater leaking along the escalators, with the false ceiling collapsed and equipment scattered across the station. In other videos, muddy water was seen gushing down staircases and seeping through escalators, surrounding the access control systems. The incident has sparked concerns over construction quality and the monsoon preparedness of the 33-km-long Colaba-BKC-Aarey (JVLR) underground metro corridor — Mumbai's first fully underground metro line, which is still under phased construction. Even by 7 pm, services from Acharya Atre Chowk remained suspended, with MMRC yet to confirm when operations would resume.
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Rohit Sharma, the Test player, took his time. Then made it count
'I understand that I haven't done justice to my potential and abilities. It's okay. I want to stay positive and keep looking forward to every challenge that lies ahead.' These words, spoken in October 2014 during an interview at the Cricket Club of India for ESPNcricinfo — my then employer — were Rohit Sharma's response to a question about having played just seven Tests in seven years since his international debut. Despite being one of the all-time greats in limited-overs cricket, Rohit's record in the whites has long been debated. Has he truly done justice to his talent in the Test arena? That question has followed him ever since his name first emerged on the maidans of Mumbai more than two decades ago, when he was seen as a potential torchbearer of the city's rich batting legacy. His retirement from Test cricket earlier this month reignited that very debate — among connoisseurs, critics and fans alike. The writing had been on the wall since he sat out the deciding Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the New Year week. Perhaps age had caught up, evident in his movement. Or maybe he had gone too far in trying to lead by example, pushing India's batting approach in white-ball formats into red-ball territory. In that sense, the last five months of his career mirrored the long wait he endured after his First-Class debut. Back then, the questions were 'when will it happen?' Later, they became 'why isn't it happening?' and then 'will it ever happen?' The doubts of 2025 weren't very different from those between 2006 and 2013 — especially from 2010 to 2013. His Test career can be viewed in three distinct phases. The first was the frustrating wait for a debut, made more painful after he injured himself minutes before the toss in what would have been his first Test in Nagpur against South Africa in 2010. It would be three more years before he got his chance against West Indies. During that phase, in various conversations — formal and informal — you could sense the weight of the 'mera number kab aayega' (when will my turn come) mindset. When the opportunity finally came, he made an instant impact with consecutive hundreds in his first two Tests. But the next five years saw him struggle to hold down a place. Injuries and India's preference for five specialist bowlers meant Rohit was frequently in and out of the side. That stretch also saw him competing with his close friend Ajinkya Rahane for a middle-order slot — Rahane often getting the nod. It wasn't until 2019, when then-coach Ravi Shastri promoted him to open in Tests, that Rohit finally found stability. Contrary to the widespread belief that he was merely a flat-track bully at home, Rohit excelled for almost five years. During a period when most Indian batters were seeing their averages dip, Rohit averaged over 50 in the 32 Tests he played in that time. No other opener scored more centuries during that stretch. But the end came swiftly. The final few months saw a marked decline, and his time at the top quietly came to a close. Rohit belongs to a generation — alongside Virat Kohli, Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja — that grew up dreaming of the Test cap. And though his body didn't always cooperate at the peak of his Test career, Rohit the batter still scaled some significant highs. He has every reason to walk away satisfied. Beyond statistics, Rohit has also had to contend with the recurring tag of being a 'gifted' or 'naturally talented' cricketer. In that same 2014 interview — just weeks before his record-breaking 264 in an ODI against Sri Lanka — he responded sharply when asked about this label. With his trademark casual flick of the forearm to his forehead, he countered the idea. 'I wasn't gifted,' he said. 'Everything has come through sheer hard work.' He spoke about how much effort it took to make his batting look effortless— especially after transitioning from being an off-spinner. His on-field nonchalance may sometimes be mistaken for swagger, even a ' tapori' vibe in Mumbai cricket slang. But those close to Rohit know his emotional core has remained intact across phases of his career. Even when competing with Rahane for a place in the XI, their friendship never wavered. After being called up as Yuvraj Singh's replacement for the 2011 West Indies Test series, Rohit told me how difficult it was to take the spot of someone he considered an older brother — even as he longed for that elusive debut. In 2025, the roles had reversed. Rohit had become the elder statesman, looking out for the next generation — firm, yet caring. As a captain in Tests, Rohit may not have had the same impact he did in limited-overs formats. But for a boy from Borivali who once dreamed more about donning India's whites than owning luxury cars, 67 Test caps and five years of elite batting represent a fulfilling journey. Whether his Test career is seen as a case of glass half full or half empty will remain a matter of perspective. What's certain is that Rohit gave it enough for the conversation to be worth having. Related Topics Rohit Sharma
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
T20 Mumbai League set to be rescheduled to June 4-10
T20 Mumbai League (ANI Photo) MUMBAI: The delay in the conduct of the Indian Premier League due to a pause for a week has pushed back the start of the T20 Mumbai League, which is being revived after six years, by almost a week. The tournament, which was originally supposed to run from May 26 to June 8 at the Wankhede Stadium , will now be held from June 4 to June 10, with double headers every day. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "The league will now be held at two venues-the Wankhede and one amongst the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, the MCA ground in BKC, or the Brabourne Stadium (in Cricket Club of India ). There will be double headers at both venues every day," a reliable source in the Mumbai Cricket Association told TOI on Friday. Eight teams will compete for the title. The auction for the League was held on May 7. Bombay Sport Exchange Ep 5: Shane Watson on how IPL gave him a lifeline & his tribute to Phil Hughes Meanwhile, former India seamer Dhawal Kulkarni is the mentor and coach of Eagle Thane Strikers, and Dronacharya Awardee Dinesh Lad, childhood coach of India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma and Shardul Thakur , is Chief Team Guide of Team Triumph Knights. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Khaleej Times
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Sachin's birthday: UAE cricket officials remember the day they came close to playing against him
As Sachin Tendulkar turns 52 today, two veteran UAE cricket administrators recalled how they came close to playing against the iconic Indian cricketer. This was September 1989 — a couple of months before Tendulkar broke into international cricket by famously making his Test debut as a 16-year-old prodigy in Pakistan. But stories of his magical prowess with the bat were confined to India's maidans (grounds) when Mohamed Lokhandwala and Mazhar Khan landed in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) as part of the Emirates India Cricket Team for a few club-level matches in the cricket-obsessed country. As the team from the UAE were preparing for their first match of the tour against Cricket Club of India, there was a knock on their dressing room door. It was the late Raj Singh Dungarpur, a revered Indian cricket administrator. 'Mr Raj Singh came to our dressing room and said 'a young boy named Sachin Tendulkar will be playing against us today',' Mazhar Khan recalled. 'Mr Raj Singh said this boy was so talented that he would play for India soon. We were curious to see the boy, he arrived at the Brabourne Stadium early to practice.' But rain played spoilsport as the match between the Emirates India Cricket Team and the Cricket Club of India was called off. Unlike the rest of his teammates, Lokhandwala, a former club-level cricketer in India who moved to the UAE in the early 1980s, had heard of Tendulkar's exploits in school cricket. 'I am from Mumbai so I had heard of him. He was breaking all batting records in school cricket, but when Mr Raj Singh praised him so much that day, we realized this boy was a generational talent,' he said. Lokhandwala still laments the missed opportunity of playing against the boy wonder. 'We were so excited to play against him, but unfortunately the rain spoiled the day,' he said. Two months later, it wasn't Lokhandwala and Mazhar Khan in club-level matches, but the likes of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir who waited for the young Tendulkar on the biggest of all stages. The teenager fought fire with fire, showing the talent and the temperament which eventually earned him 100 international centuries. 'I remember in one match, he was hit in the face by a Waqar Younis bouncer, we could see the blood, but he refused to give up and kept on playing. That proved how tough he was mentally even at a very young age,' he said. While Lokhandwala went on to become a cricket administrator, Mazhar Khan took up the role of General Manager of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. 'When he used to play international cricket in Sharjah (in the 1990s) what I noticed was that he was a shy person,' Khan said. 'He used to keep to himself. And that's how we saw him on the ground as well, he was totally focused on cricket.' Khan may have missed out on the opportunity to play against a young Tendulkar, but he considers himself lucky to have witnessed the famous 'Desert Storm' in Sharjah when the Indian maestro scored one of the greatest hundreds in history. 'That innings (against Australia) in Sharjah (in 1998) was incredible. We were lucky to be on the ground that night,' Khan said. While Lokhandwala is still waiting for an opportunity to meet Tendulkar, he did receive a special gift from cricket's greatest icon. 'A friend of mine helped me get a signed bat from Sachin. He even wrote my name on it,' Lokhandwala smiled.
